Improvement in seed-planters



. z sheets-Slim 1. P. KRANZ. SEED-PLAANTER.

g. zz, 187s,

Ratented Au WITNESSES ATTORNEYS.

\ N.FETE.R.S, PHOTO-L-ITHOGRPHR, WASHINGTON, CA

f ZSheets-ShetzL P. KRANZ.

sEED-PLANTER. v

No.181,j0. Patented Aug. 22,1876.

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IEEIMUVI ML l ATTUBNEY.

NV PETERS, Ffmm-L ITICGRAFNERA WASHINGTON, D. C.

TNITED l STATEs' PETER KEANZ., or Aaaefo,NEBEAs-KA.I

IMPROVEMENT INFy "SE-ED-PLI-'lNTER'S.l

speciecation forming part of Letters Patent No. 1s 1,350, datedmugust22, 1876; appliationf inea.

March :25, k1876.'

To all whom it may concern: f Be it known that I, PETER KRANZ, of Arago,in the county of Richardson and Stateof Nebraska, have invented a newand vuseful Inl-y provement in Seed-Planter, of which thev following isa specification:

Figurel, Sheet l, is a top view of my improved seed-planter arranged asa self-dropvper, parts being broken away to show' the construction. Fig.2, Sheet l, is a vertical section taken through theirregular line w w xww, Fig. l. Fig. 3, Sheet'l, is a detail section of the seed-droppingdevice, taken through the line y y, Fig. 2. Fig. 4, Sheet 2, is a topview of .the same, part being removed, and parts being broken away toshow the construction. Fig. 5, Sheet 2, is a detail section of thesame,Y taken through the line z z,-Fig. 4. Fig. 6, Sheet 2, is a detailtop view of the dropping- Wheel. of the dropping-wheel. Fig. 8, Sheet 2,is a detail cross-section of the same, taken through the line 'w w, Fig.'i'. Fig.'9, Sheet 2, is a detail top View of they dropping-slide. Fig.10,

Sheet 2, is an edge view of the same. Fig.y

11, Sheet/2, is. a cross-section of the same, taken through the line ua, Fig. 9.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The object of this invention is to yfurnish an improvedseed-planter'which shall ybe so constructed thatit may be adj usted tooperate as a self-dropper oras a hand-dropper, yand may be adjusted todrop the hills at different distances apart, and tofdropanydesiredamount in a hill.

The invention,willirst be desribedin conwheels 4C are attached pawls D,which engage.

with the teeth of the ratchet-wheels E, attached to the axle B, so thatthe wheels C may be made-to carry the axle B with them when desired. Theforward ends of the side bars of the frame A are connected with the rearcross- Fig. 7, Sheet 2, is a detail bottom View vcircle of twelve holes,di, which-:are elongated: radially. In the face of .the wheel D', and. lleading in radiallyfrom the holes d1, are formed grooves, in which areplaced blocks d2.. The blocks d2 are slotted, longitudinally, toreceive,

bar o f the frame'A1 of the forwardparteil the machine by clevises .andeyeboltsor other suitable hinges.' lo the rear cornerslot'the frame Alare attached the seed-hoppersI B1, to,` the vbottoms of which areattached ring-plates C', upon which` the dropping-Wheel D' rests and4rotates, and in the Yrear part of which-:gis formed-a slot for thepassage ofA the seedfronr the dropping-.wheel D' to the conductor-spout.Through the center of the wheel D.' is formeda hole to receive theuppereudof the vspindle E,.Which passes down through, and 'is swiveled-to,the bottoms of the hoppers B1. When the machine is adjusted as aself-dropper, the. dropping-wheel D' must be keyed, or otherwise rigidlysecured,to said spindle; but .when adjusted as a hand-planterfthe saiddropping- :wheel may be allowed to revolve looselyr uponk the saidspindle.

In the wheel D',.near its rim, isformedl a the screws by which they aresecuredin place, sothat by adjusting the blocksdzy the dropping-holes d1may be vmade larger or smaller, .to drop more or less seed at a time,,asmay-,be desired. To the bottoms of the hoppers B.1

are attached four pins, b}, which-project` up at ther/edges ofthering-platesl C' and thedropping-wheels D', and upon .the upper. endsofwhichrest the false bottomsF'. 1. One edge o f lthe false bottom F' isslipped beneatha .-cleat 122, attached to one sidefof the hopper; B1,a'nd 'its other edgedshelddown by aicam, b3, pivoted to the other sideof said hopper. In they false bottoms F', directlyover the.. row 'ofholes d1 in the.-dropping-wheels,isy formed a ring'-` groove, to allowtheseedto'- enter the holes .of the dropping-Wheel; The central .partofthe .bottomj F' is connected with the outer part byv arched bars f1. 1ntherearpart of the slot of thefalse bottom-F' are placedl cut-offsf2, toprevent any morel seed than is contained-Jinthe dropping-holes d1 frombeing.. carried out rby the wheels D'. f3 is a small wheehpivoted t9 afstem, f4, which passesv up through .va socket, f5, attached to the rearpart ot' the bottoms F'. The wheelf3 rests and rolls along,

`vance of the machine.

the face of the dropping-wheel D', and is held down by a spiral spring,f6, placed upon the stem f4, within the socketff, so as to push the seedout of each dropping-hole d' as it comes over the discharge-hole ofthering-plate G'.

To the lower parts of the spindles E' are attached bevel-gear wheels G',the teeth of which mesh into the teeth of bevel-gear Wheels H, attachedto the horizontal cross-shaft I'. The shaft I' revolves in bearingsattached to the pide bars of the fraine A1, and to it is attached abevel-gear wheel, J', the teeth of which mesh into the teeth of thebevel-gear wheel K', attached to the end of the longitudinal shaft L'.Thev shaft L' revolves in bearings attached to the cross-bars of theframes A1 A, is made in two parts, connected byI a universal-jointcoupling, about in line with the hinges that connect the frames A1 A, sothat it may continue to operate, Whatever position the said frames maytake with respect to eachother.

To the rear end of the shaft L' is attached a bevel-gear wheel, M', theteeth of which mesh into `theteeth of the bevel-gear Wheel N', attachedto the axle `B, sothatthe dropping-wheels D' may be operated by the ad-The gear-wheel N' is slid upon the axle B, to throw it into and out ofgear with the gear-wheel M', by a lever, F,

pivoted in a slotted bracket, Gr, attached to the frame A, and which islocked in position by a wedge-key inserted in the said slot at the sideof the said lever.

As the seed escapes from the dropping- Wheels D' it passes to the groundthrough the conductor--spouts O', the upper ends of which are attachedto the frame A1, beneath the hoppers B1. The lower ends of theconductorspouts O" are attached to the forked rear ends of the runnersP', by which the ground is opened to receive the seed, and the forwardends of which are attached to the front crossbar of thefranieAl. .As theseed drops through spouts O' it is received upon the lower part of thevalve Q, so that it may be all dropped together at the proper time.. Therear side of the spouts O is made open, and is closed by a detachablepanel, o', to enable thespouts to V`be conveniently cleared should theybecome l clogged.

The valve Q' is pivoted to the sides of the spouts O', and to its upperends pivoted the end of a plate, R', that passes through the Vfrontofthe spout O', and its other end is pivoted to the end of the leverS'." The lever S' is pivoted to an upright, a'. attached to the frame A1and the runners P', and to its other end is pivoted the end of the bentlever T'. The bent lever T' is pivoted at its bend to the arm U',attached to the post a' in such a' position that its free end `may restagainst the face of the cam-wheel V', attached to the lower end of thespindlesE', so that `as the end ofthe lever T' drops from the shouldersof the camwheels V' the valve Q' may be operated to drop the seed to theground. The valve Q' is upon the bent levers T'.

`one foot apart.

again brought into position toreceive the seed by the operation of thecams of the wheels V' The ends of the bent levers T' are held forwardagainst the camwheels V', so as to vbe operated by the revolution ofsaid cam-wheels by the springs W',

connected with the said levers or with their pivots. The cam-wheels V'are not used when alltwelve of the holes dl of the droppingwheels D areopen, and the seed is dropped To drop the seed two feet apart, everyother hole d1 is closed, and `the cam-wheels with six teeth or cams areused. To drop the seed three feet apart, every third hole is left open,and the cam-wheels with four cams are used. To drop the seed four feetapart, every fourth hole is left open, and the cam-wheels with threecams are used. Where the dropping is to be done by hand, the slidingplates Xl are insertedin the space between y the bottom of the hoppersB1 and 4the ring- Vplates C', slots being formed in said plates X' toreceive the spindles E'.

The movements ofthe sliding plates-X' are limited by projections wl,formed upon the side edges of said plates, and which strike against thesides of the hoppers B1. Upon the upper side of the plate X', upon theopposite sides of its slot and center, are formed projections m2,' whichstrike alternately against one or another of the `projections d2, formedupon the under side of the dropping-Wheels D'. fUpon the ends of theplate X', and uponthe opposite sides of its central line, are formedprojections a, which, when the said slide reaches the ends of itsmovements, receive projections d4, formed upon the edge of thedropping-wheel'D', and thus stop the said" wheel in proper position tobe again moved by the movement of the said plates.` The open end of theslots in the plates X' is closed by blocks m4, attached to the end ofthe said plates detachably, to enable the plates togbe putin and takenout as required. l

Y' is a lever, which is pivoted to a socket, Z', attached to the upperpart of the inner side of thevhopper. lever Y is connected with thesliding plate X'. Each plate X' may have its own lever, Y', or the twoplates X' may be connected by a bar, x5, and may both be operated by onelever, Y', as shown in Fig. 5. In `the lower side of the rear edge ofthe plates X' are formed notches to receive the `upper end of Ithe valveA2, which is pivoted in the conductor spout.O', t'o receive the seedfrom the dropping-wheel D',and dropit to the ground. By this arrangementthe valves Az are operated by the movements of theslidesX'. The personwho operates the leverY' sits uponya seat, B2, placed between thehoppers B1, and

the legs or standards@2 of which are detachably attached tothecross-bars of the frame.

H is the drivers seat, which is attached to 1 the upper end of thestandard I. The lower end of the standard I is attached to a crossbar,J, which rests upon the side bars of the The lower end` of the frame A,and is securedto them by pins or bolts. Several holes are formed in theside bars of the frame A, to receive the fastening-bolts of thecross-bar J, so that it may be moved forward and back, to adjust theseat H' as desired. To the opposite sides of the upper end of thestandards I are pivoted the upper -ends of two braces, K, the lower endsof which are bolted tothe rear parts of the side bars of the frame A,several holes being formed in the said side bars to receive the saidbolts, to env able the said braces to be adjusted as desired.

To the'sides of the standards I are attached rests il, for the driversfeet. The standard I is slotted longitudinally, to receive a bar, L,from the sides of whichproject pins l1, to rest in half-keepers i2,attached to the forward side of the said standard I. V

To the rear end of the bar L is attached a cross-bar, to enable thesaid' bar Lto be oper-A ated by the driver with his feet.v The `forwardend of the bar Lis connected, by a hook and eye, or other suitablecoupling, with the rear end of the bar M, the lforward part of which isbolted to the cross-bars of the frame A1.

The forward end of the bar'M and the rear end of the tongue N may bothbe secured by the same bolt.

The tongue N passes through a slotted upright, O, attached to the frontcross-barof the frame A1, where it is secured in place by a pin or bolt,several holes being formed in the said upright to receive the said pinor bolt, to enable the tongueNto be adjusted as desired. Thisconstruction enables the seat H and tongue N to be raised and loweredtogetheI-,vor separately, as may be desired.

To the rear corners of the frame A are attached bars P, the outer partsof which are so formed as to lit upon the concaved rims of the wheels C,and scrape olf any soil that may adhere to them. t

'Io the side of the seat-standard I is pivoted a bar, Q, in the loweredge of which is formed a number of hook-notches, to hook upon a pin,-l2, attached to the side of the forward end of the bar L, to hold thesaid bar securely in any position into which it may be adjusted.

Having thus described vmy invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patentl. The combination of the adjustable crossbar J and theadjustable braces K with the seat H, seat-standard I, and frame A,substantially as herein shown and described.

2. The combination', withl spout 0', of the valve Q', plate R', andlever S', arranged substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

i 3. The combination ofthe exchangeable camwheels V','the levers S' T',the sliding plate R', and the spring W' with the spindle E', thatcarries the dropping-wheel D', and with the valve Q', pivoted in theconductor-spout O', substantially asherein shown and described.

y PETER KRANZ. Witnesses: Y

W. F. GONWELL,

U. R. THoRNDoRF.

